Juneau officials say private entities want to take over the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area

The Juneau Assembly is considering a resolution in support of keeping the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area federally owned. It also urges the U.S. Forest Service to rehire recently fired workers there. 

The resolution comes as some congressional Republicans in other states consider selling off federal lands to pay for President Donald Trump’s domestic agenda. 

Juneau Visitor Industry Director Alix Pierce said city officials have heard about interest from private entities.

“We are aware of at least one. I’ve heard a rumor of a second private entity, that has expressed interest in taking over the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area,” she said. 

Pierce said Alaska Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski specifically asked Juneau’s city leaders for the resolution. Murkowski was not immediately available for comment.

The federal government is the largest landowner in Alaska, with 60% of the total area. The Mendenhall Glacier is one of Alaska’s most-visited tourist attractions. The U.S. Forest Service estimates more than 1 million people visited last year.

Discussions about selling federal public lands to private owners have been happening since Trump took office. On Tuesday, U.S. House Republicans approved an amendment authorizing the sale of federal public land in Nevada and Utah.

The Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area is currently managed by the Forest Service.

The Trump Administration’s mass federal firings left the glacier’s visitor center dramatically understaffed. Forest Service staff from other departments are maintaining summer operations. The Assembly is also considering a separate ordinance that would set aside $200,000 in city dollars to support staffing at the glacier. 

Some Assembly members, like Maureen Hall, were hesitant about the urgency of the resolution. 

“Anyone can say anything, but that seems like something that I wouldn’t think we’d need to be concerned about at this point,” she said. 

Pierce declined to say which private entities have expressed interest in taking over ownership of the recreation area. 

Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration has shown interest in taking ownership of the recreation area. So far, its attempts to do so have been unsuccessful. Last year, a U.S. District Court judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by the State of Alaska in 2022 that sought ownership of the land beneath Mendenhall Lake and part of the river.

The Assembly will take up the resolution at an upcoming meeting on May 19.